Can't find a job? Workforce Central Florida wants to give you a cape

FIRST ON ORLANDOSENTINEL.COM

It may be hard getting a job in today's labor market, but Workforce Central Florida is prepared to give you a cape — a shiny, red cape.

At least while supplies last.

The region's federally funded jobs agency is spending more than $73,000 on a media campaign to raise awareness of its services.

As part of a superhero theme, it has created a cartoon character named "Dr. Evil Unemployment" and spent more than $14,000 on 6,000 satiny superhero capes.

It plans to distribute the capes to jobless residents who participate in the agency's "Cape-A-Bility Challenge."

To win a cape, a contestant can become a Workforce Central Florida fan on Facebook, take a Facebook quiz — "What Superhero Are You?" — or have a photo taken with a foam cutout of Dr. Evil Unemployment.

Job seekers and employers who participate become eligible to win a $1,000 prize package, featuring gift cards from Visa, Barnes & Noble and the U.S. Postal Service. Job seekers can also win $125 worth of résumé paper. Only two prize packages will be given away.

The goal of the campaign is to "generate awareness of WFC and our programs," agency Vice President Kimberly Sullivan wrote in an email. The agency spent about $2,300 on 12 foam board cutouts of Dr. Evil Unemployment, each about 5 feet tall.

It paid $14,200 for the capes — almost 20 percent of the campaign's budget — which feature the "Cape-A-Bility" logo and the Workforce website.

"I have 6,000 capes to hand out," Sullivan said.

But just how useful Central Florida's 116,000 unemployed workers will find capes — and the larger campaign — is unclear. Unemployment raises difficult self-esteem questions, and many jobless people say they work hard to maintain a sense of self-respect.

"Wow … I mean, wow," said Ryan Julison, a former vice president of communications with Ginn Resorts. "That's all I can say."

Julison, who was laid off a year ago, said the tone of the campaign risks "trivializing the very gut-wrenching situation people find themselves in." He commended Workforce Central Florida for reaching out, but worried this attempt misses the mark.

"It's very difficult to be unemployed, to feel like you're going around with your hat in hand," he said. "And to be presented with a cape … I just don't know."

Beyond the campaign's tone is its budget. Workforce will spend more than $73,000, with the agency's ad firm collecting about $7,500.

In addition to the $14,200 for capes, Workforce will spend about $24,700 on media buys, $15,000 for billboards and $5,000 on social media.

Just $2,000 will go for prizes and only two prize packages — one for an employer, one for a job seeker — will be awarded.

Michelle Burman, an out-of-work customer service rep, was incredulous.

"OK, $73,000 for the 'Cape-A-Bility Challenge' and $14,000 for capes?" she said. "And this will be helping who?" Burman wondered if the capes would "have some sort of magical powers to obtain a job faster" and predicted few would rush to join the ranks of the "Super Unemployed."

Shot in slow-mo and underscored by a heroic soundtrack, Wentworth strikes a superman pose, dramatically removing his glasses. In another scene he taps out a message on his BlackBerry.

Workforce is a federally funded labor development agency that last year received almost $24 million in public money. It is a private, nonprofit organization governed by more than 40 Central Florida business leaders.

Between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010, the agency says it served more than 210,000 job seekers and helped place more than 58,500 into jobs.

Sullivan defended the campaign, saying it will spread the agency's message. The capes, she said, are a direct tie-in to the larger effort.

"Some people will wear them, and others will ask 'How do I get one?'" she said.

She said Workforce was "in no way" trying to minimize the difficulties of unemployment. The agency is trying to "create the face of unemployment and allow people to have a little fun with it,'' she said.

"Everyone," Sullivan said, "is a superhero in the fight against unemployment."